Feeney Wields Power Behind The Scenes

Legislature 2000

TALLAHASSEE - At his recent question-and-answer session with reporters on the House floor last week, Speaker John Thrasher invited Rep. Tom Feeney to join him.

With Feeney set to inherit the reins of power from Thrasher and become speaker in November, the incoming leader's perspective on the priorities and politics of the legislative session's final hours might be useful.

But standing under Thrasher's new portrait, hung earlier that day in the House chamber, Feeney declined. He smiled and backed away quietly toward the speaker's office. He wasn't going to upstage Thrasher in his final hours of being speaker.

In many ways, the session before a new leader receives the gavel is his or her most powerful. Lawmakers who will be returning to the Legislature want to be in good favor with their new leader so they get a chance to join his inner circle of advisers, receive choice committee assignments, nice offices and close parking spaces. Lobbyists need his stamp of approval to pass legislation.

But Feeney, a 42-year-old Orlando lawyer, put his mark on this legislative session without stepping in front of Thrasher.

``When things are going good, you sit down,'' Feeney said.

But while Thrasher sat solidly at the ship's helm, Feeney was keeping its engines running and the arsenal ready. He was instrumental in setting the agenda for the final days of the session, helping to decide which pet bills of the Democrats or the Senate would be held hostage in order to force compromises on priority issues of Thrasher's.

Feeney and Thrasher met late at night in the speaker's office in the last week of the session developing strategy with the House staff over the next day's agenda. A reporter's request to attend one of the sessions was denied because the meetings were ``so political'' and out of fear that staffers would hold back having free exchanges with their political leaders.

``The speaker appears to be calling the shots, but I think Feeney had his hands on a lot of the issues,'' said House Democratic leader Les Miller of Tampa.

It was Feeney who rammed the only health maintenance organization reform bill that House leaders would allow through committees and the full House despite cries from Democrats that it didn't go far enough.

Capitol power-lobbyist Guy Spearman said the testament to Feeney's influence was evident by the number of lobbyists who rushed into his office during the session's final days to get his OK on proposals they wanted passed.